The invention relates to a patient device having an at least unidirectional, wireless interface for receiving a data signal from a medical device, in particular an implantable medical device (IMD) such as a cardiac pacemaker or an implantable cardioverter/defibrillator (ICD) or the like. The patient device further comprises a data communication interface for accessing a wide area network (WAN) or a public telecommunication network or both.
Such a patient device is also known as a bedside device and is usually placed in the proximity of a patient wearing an implantable cardiac pacemaker or an implantable cardioverter/defibrillator. The patient device usually is able to receive medical or operational data from the medical device via the wireless interface. Common patient devices further comprise a data communication interface enabling the patient device to pass on data received from the implanted medical device to a central server operated by a central service center, also known as home-monitoring service center.
The data communication interface usually is connected to a modem. In order to access a remote device like a central server via a public telephone network, a telephone number has to be dialled by the modem. The number to be dialled depends on the location and the environment the modem is used in. Therefore, it may be difficult for a user to set up the patient device in a correct manner so that it works in a particular environment.
Furthermore, the patient device may be connected to more than one modem, for example, to both a landline modem and a cellular modem. In such case, the user has to choose one of the available access technologies (for example landline modem or cellular modem) prior to establishing a remote access. The patient is not always aware of whether a particular access technology is available for the moment being because, for example the landline may be engaged or the cellular phone temporarily has no access to the cellular network.
The problems mentioned not only cause some inconvenience for the patient, they also bear the risk that an important message from the implantable medical device is not transmitted to the central service center in time.
This problem so far has not been addressed in the art.